1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk device that incorporates an information storage medium and, more particularly, relates to a structure that prevents or minimizes vibration of a disk unit housed therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2005-135564 discloses a disk unit that is inserted into a receiving slot of an electronic device. The disk unit includes a hard disk, a drive motor, a read/write head, and a head actuator. The disk unit is inserted into a bottom cover of the electronic device. A control circuit board is mounted on top of the disk unit, and a top cover is placed over the disk unit and joined to the bottom cover. Windows are provided in the top cover, through which connector terminals on the control circuit board are exposed. Connector conductors in the electronic device make contact with the connector terminals on the control circuit board through the windows.
In Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2007-141388, a hard disk drive (HDD) device is described in which a vibration absorbing cushion made of a rubber material is inserted between a support bracket and a support plate to which an HDD unit is fastened. A hook on the support plate is inserted into and engaged with a latch hole in the support bracket to fasten the HDD unit to the support bracket.
Japanese Patent 3122943 discloses a floppy disk device in which a loading mechanism, that includes a cassette holder and a slide member, is held by a bottom case that has threaded holes, for mounting, in a bottom face and in two side faces. Strain propagation is inhibited by mounting a head positioning mechanism and a disk drive mechanism as separate pieces on a substrate. The bottom case is described as preventing noise and penetration of dust into the disk device.
A HDD, used in a car navigation system in a vehicle, is required to have a structure that allows the HDD to be removed for maintenance. Accordingly, an HDD device has been proposed that provides the removability function wherein the HDD unit is mounted in a case to which it is secured by a threaded fastener, which case, in turn, is slidably inserted into a bracket on a slide structure. The slide structure holds the case (the HDD unit) such that connectors of the HDD unit are connected to and disconnected from joined to and separated from) connectors on the bracket upon insertion and removal of the case, respectively. However, in this proposed device, in order to facilitate attachment and removal of the HDD holding case to and from the bracket, a tiny gap is provided between the bracket and the case. Therefore, the HDD holding case is shaken by the vibration of the bracket that results from the vibration of the vehicle. Sympathetic vibration, in particular, produces a strong G-force (acceleration) in the HDD holding case which may cause instability in the writing and reading operations of the HDD.